British Explorer Prepares To Dig Up 140 Spitfires

[budmorgan]

http://www.businessinsider.com/one-brit ... rs-2012-10

Cheers!

Bud

[bigjuicyspider]

140. Would have been neat if it had just been one. But One hundred and Forty.

[Somethingfake]

140 Spitfires....Christ on a crutch.

[Skycat]

Yesterday the estimate was 60 Spitfires, and before that the estimate was perhaps as many 30. Perhaps they are dazzling investors by exaggerating the potential profit?

[stiz]

i still dont think theres either as many as they say, or that they'll be in "pristine condition". I reckon it'll be a load of rusted parts at best. Also 140 spitfires to burma?? sounds a bit much for what was considered very much a "sideshow".

I would however, loved to be proved wrong

[trucker17]

Great to see intrest has been found in getting these rare bird unearthed....
Now if someone could generate enough intrest to bring that P-40 back....

[Sizel]

I heard they were going to be used against Japan but they then surrendered practically upon there arrival in Burma. So they were left there, probably too much effort to retrieve them.. Anyhow i heard it was about 60. Great find this. Keeps Aviation shows stocked up.

A2A not your only source for a nice Spitfire then.

[JoeS475]

If (fingers crossed) these aircraft are actually in good shape, I'm really hoping to see a six ship team all painted alike demostrating formations and military maneuvers, much like the Geico Skytypers do in their SNJ-2's.

Joe

[Roadburner426]

Depending on how the aircraft were preserved for shipment, and then subsequently buried is going to depend a lot on how salvageable they are.. Obviously your main enemy is corrosion. The article is certaintly misleading I would think by claiming they would be in mint condition. As long as none of the major structures have extreme corrosion damage you may be able to clean them up, reskin them, and restore them. Would be great to see a large number found to be possibly restorable to flight condition though.

[ft]

Depending on how the aircraft were preserved for shipment, and then subsequently buried is going to depend a lot on how salvageable they are.. Obviously your main enemy is corrosion. The article is certaintly misleading I would think by claiming they would be in mint condition. As long as none of the major structures have extreme corrosion damage you may be able to clean them up, reskin them, and restore them. Would be great to see a large number found to be possibly restorable to flight condition though.

It's not like they're buried underground in an area of the world with very high moisture levels and seasonal torrential rainfalls.

Oh, wait a minute... where where they at, again? Ooops, my bad. But hey, they are supposed to be covered in was paper, so it's all good.

As much as I'd love to see tens of good-looking Spitfires emerge, I just do not have that degree of trust in wax paper.

Check this story out.

[Roadburner426]

While the area may not have a high moisture content in the air they will still corrode. I thought the same thing, but seeing how some of the desert aircraft have come back with the corrosion I have seen it is not completely eliminated. It is definately nowhere near as bad as sea based aircraft though. Wasn't sure if they covered Spitfires in grease or something for shipment or not.

Crazy about that poor Plymouth though. Water is definately your worst enemy. Not sure of the concrete they used, but if it was any type of porous concrete it wouldn't have taken much for water to get in the voids and freeze/crack it allowing water to free flow in. Growing up in South Carolina we always heard rumors about a guy who enclosed an old Corvette in a similar manner above ground to eventually be found. Never sure how true it was, or if it was just an old tale my dad would tell me since he knew I loved cars growing up.

[MAGGIEMAE]

I have seen pristine aircraft built from a pile of junk e.g. The Mossie in NZ.